‘Good Music Neighbours' Grants Recipients Announced

14 Sep 2018

Twenty-one Victorian music venues have received support for soundproofing projects through the Victorian Government’s Good Music Neighbours program.

‘’Music Victoria is thrilled that 21 venues have received more than $250,000 to attenuate their venues and plan for improved amenity with neighbours. Music fans will be guaranteed to continue to enjoy Victoria’s rich tapestry of music at venues from Brunswick East to Ballarat East and we thank the State Government for its continued investment in live music through the Music Works program.” remarked Music Victoria CEO Patrick Donovan.

The grants will help the venues better manage sound or enable them to host more live music events, with supported projects ranging from the installation of acoustic panelling, state of the art insulation or double glazing, to engaging a specialist acoustic assessor.

The latest recipients include Castlemaine’s historic The Bridge Hotel which will undertake works to strengthen its music program, and the iconic The Esplanade Hotel in St Kilda which will carry out an acoustic upgrade of the famed Gershwin Room ahead of The Espy’s reopening later this year.

The Good Music Neighbours program is part of the Victorian Government’s $22 million Music Works initiative which aims to strengthen the state’s contemporary music industry at all levels. Since its launch in 2016 the Good Music Neighbours program has provided $780,000 to support 82 venues to undertake sound management projects. The program has supported iconic venues such as Collingwood’s The Tote Hotel and The Corner Hotel in Richmond. It has also supported projects at several venues, including Cactus Studio (Thornbury) and The Stables (Sale), to help them move into live music programming.

Music Victoria’s latest Live Music Census revealed that Melbourne is home to more live music venues per person than any other city in the world. Last year Victorian music venues hosted more than 73,000 gigs, about 20 percent more than five years ago.